WO2005018309A1

WO2005018309A1 - Method for providing data for a control system for a milk cooling arrangement of a milking system, and method for cooling milk in a milk cooling arrangement and control system for a milk cooling arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2005018309A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/009086
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Kaever
Original assignee: Westfaliasurge Gmbh
Priority date: 2003-08-13
Filing date: 2004-08-13
Publication date: 2005-03-03
Also published as: DE10337264A1; US20070272158A1; CA2534951A1; EP1653797A1

Abstract

In order to improve the functionality of a cooling arrangement (4), the invention provides a method for providing data for a control system for a milk cooling arrangement (4), a method for cooling milk in a milk cooling arrangement, and a control system. Data, which are relevant to the cooling tank and which are at least specific to the milk at at least two milking stations, are determined for the control system of a milk cooling arrangement of a milking system and are provided to said control system. At least one characteristic quantity is determined from this data, and the milk cooling arrangement is activated when at least one characteristic quantity lies outside a tolerance zone, particularly when it exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Shorter cooling times and an improved use of resources are achieved due to the interaction of the milking parlor control with the control system of a milk cooling arrangement. In addition, the invention enables an operator to set parameters and log the operation of the milk cooling arrangement in a convenient manner.

Description

Method for providing data for a control system for a milking system in a milking system and method for cooling milk in a milk cooling system and control system for a milk cooling system

The subject matter of the invention relates to a method for providing data for a control system of a milk cooling arrangement with at least one cooling tank of a milking system, a method for cooling milk in a milk cooling arrangement and a control system of a milk cooling arrangement with at least one cooling tank. The invention can be used in conventional milking systems, in semi-automatic and fully automatic milking systems and in robot-assisted milking systems.

The invention can be used not only in milking systems for milking cows, but also in milking systems for milking sheep, goats, horses, camels, buffaloes, yaks, moose and other milk-producing animals.

In the known milking systems, the milk milked by the animals is collected in a cooling tank and stored until the contents of the tank are removed and sent for further processing. To ensure that the milk retains its properties during storage, it is necessary that the milk is cooled to 4 ° C as quickly as possible, but within a maximum of three hours. If the temperature is too low, it can lead to signs of breakdown in the milk. In the case of frozen milk, the fat particles are damaged, the proportion of free fatty acids in the milk increases, resulting in an aqueous milk. At a too high Temperature there is a risk of nucleation, so that the milk collected is no longer suitable for human consumption.

When freshly milked milk is loaded into the cooling tank, which has a temperature that is significantly above the storage temperature, the temperature inside the cooling tank can rise above the temperature specification for storing the milk. This occurs particularly when there is little milk in the cooling tank or when the cooling tank was previously empty. Depending on the milking system, different requirements are placed on the cooling tank and the associated cooling devices. In conventional milking systems, in which milking is usually carried out twice a day, large quantities of milk are produced twice a day during the milking period. With automatic milking systems, especially with robot-assisted milking systems in which the animals have free access to the milking system, the milked milk is produced almost continuously. This results in the need to start cooling even with small amounts of milk.

In order to avoid temperature stratification of the milk within the cooling tank, it is also known that the cooling tank can be provided with an agitator. In order to shorten the time span until proper agitator functions are reached and the cooling is switched on, a buffer tank is placed in front of the cooling tank, into which the milked milk gets.

It is also known that the milked raw milk is subjected to a pre-cooling before it enters the cooling tank. Plate coolers in which the raw milk gives off part of the heat to cooling water are used for this purpose. The heated cooling water can be used as drinking water. From DE 100 39 014 AI a milk cooling arrangement with at least one cooling tank of a milking system is known. The cooling tank has a wall in which a cooling floor is arranged. The cooling takes place with direct evaporation of a refrigerant circulating in one or more evaporator cooling bottoms of the tank wall with connection to a refrigerating machine, the refrigerant expanded in the refrigerating machine evaporating therein while cooling the milk present via the evaporator cooling bottoms. The chiller is switched on and off with a thermostat with a temperature sensor, which is located on the evaporator cooling floor at the lowest possible point in the cooling tank and measures the surface temperature there and / or the mixing temperature that occurs. For immediate cooling of the amount of milk flowing into an area of the cooling base to be covered with milk, evaporator base segments are arranged next to one another as the evaporator cooling base. These evaporator base segments can be switched on and off individually. They have individual cooling circuits. Devices for controlling the temperature of the evaporator base segment or segments are provided which, depending on the surface temperature of the evaporator base segments and the vaporization temperature and / or the partial pressure of the refrigerant in the evaporator base segments, restrict and / or switch motor compressors on and off of the chillers.

Because the thermostat is arranged on the evaporator cooling floor at the lowest possible point in the cooling tank, there is a risk that the length of time between the time when milk reaches a partially filled cooling tank and the activation of the refrigeration machine is so long that milk quality may be impaired during this time.

Proceeding from this, the present invention is based on the objective of a method for providing data for a control system Indicate Milchkuhlanordnung with at least ^"a cooling tank of a milking system, through which the responsiveness of the Milchkuhlanordnung is improved to changing milk flows.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for providing data for a control system of a milk cooling arrangement with at least one cooling tank of a milking system. Advantageous further developments and refinements of the method for providing data are the subject of the dependent claims.

The method according to the invention for providing data for a control system of a mill cooling arrangement with at least one cooling tank of a milking system is characterized in that at least cooling tank-related data and at least some milk-related data are determined and these are made available to the control system.

The fact that, in addition to the cooling tank-related data, the control system of a milk cooling arrangement also provides at least milk-specific data of at least one milking stall, the control system can generate specifications for the control of the milk cooling arrangement, in particular of the cooling tank. These specifications enable the arrangement and preferably the cooling tank to be controlled at a very early point in time, since it is no longer absolutely necessary to detect the newly flowing milk by sensors in the cooling tank. The provision of data for a control system creates the possibility that the control system reacts in advance on the basis of the data made available, ie before possible sensors in the cooling tank indicate faults or rising temperatures. These measures not only improve control, but also improve the quality of the cooling, which has a positive effect on the storage of the milk. In particular, it is proposed that the milk-specific data contain information about milk quantity milked, temperature, flow rate and / or the specific heat capacity of the milk. This information is often already available at the milking parlor. With the help of this information, it is possible, for example, to prepare the cooling tank for the milk that is about to arrive or the amount of heat associated with it. This means that the capacity of the milk cooling arrangement, in particular of the cooling tank, can be adapted to the current cooling capacity requirement. The coordination also includes the control of the cooling and mixing processes associated with cooling the milk.

In view of the fact that the control system of a milk cooling arrangement is no longer exclusively dependent on the sensors inside the cooling tank, but that it has information about the amount of milk and its temperature and information about the amount of heat expected in the future, it can prepare for cooling the incoming amount of milk before the sensors inside the cooling tank exceed the required threshold values. Since the cooling tank is usually located further away from the milking stations and a certain time passes until the milk arrives from the milking station in the cooling tank, this time can be used according to the method according to the invention to prepare the milk cooling arrangement for the task ahead. If the milk cooling arrangement has a cooling device which contains at least one refrigerant store, then the refrigerant store can be largely completely filled with a larger amount of milk or heat to be expected. In the case of milk cooling arrangements with variable cooling capacity, this can also be maximized in advance in order to take account of the conditions to be expected. The control system takes into account not only milk-specific data, but also cooling tank-related data. This data contains information about the amount of milk in the cooling tank, the capacity of the cooling tank, the remaining capacity of the cooling tank, the temperature, cooling capacity and / or condition of a cooling device. This information enters the control system as parameters which are processed as signals by the control system.

The amount of milk produced during a milking process is individual for each animal. It also changes with the animal's lactation level. In the initial phase of lactation, the amount of milk that an animal gives off is greater than at the end of lactation of the animal. It is therefore advantageous if the control system is also provided with animal-specific data. In this way, an adaptation of the milk cooling arrangement to the upcoming task can be postponed to a point in time that is very early, i.e. possibly even before the start of a milking process.

If an animal has been identified at a milking stall and it has been determined that no abnormal behavior of the animal is to be expected, the amount of milk to be expected can be determined on the basis of historical data about the animal. This can then be transmitted to the control system as a predicted value. If necessary, this predicted value can be subjected to a safety factor that takes into account an uncertainty about the milk quantity dispensed by the animal in question, so that a cooling capacity that is not too high is provided. Since the cooling with one Energy consumption is connected, this energy consumption is cost-determining for the operation of the milk cooling arrangement. This has an effect in particular when the cooling pumps and compressors of a milk cooling arrangement run in the optimal range. In addition to the provision of animal-specific data, it is advantageous if the control system is provided with group and herd-specific data, statistical data and / or milking parlor management data.

In the case of robot-assisted milking systems, in which animals can voluntarily visit the milking system, a temporal distribution of the expected milk quantities can be determined from the group and herd-specific data. This data contains information about the frequency with which the individual animals visit the milking system and the time interval between two milking processes. From this it can be determined when, for example, a plurality of animals visit the milking system and what amount of milk is likely to be produced. Preparatory measures can be carried out on the milk cooler arrangement in advance of the expected milking processes. Here it can. is, for example, the preparation of another cooling tank if it is determined that the amount of milk to be expected is greater than the remaining capacity of another cooling tank.

If the milk cooling arrangement has several cooling tanks, the control system can also coordinate the milk flows from the milking stations to the cooling tanks. The provision of the cooling tank-related data, which is, for example, the current tank capacity, which can also be calculated from the capacity of the cooling tank and the current filling quantity, is helpful for this purpose. With the help of the internal state variables of the cooling tanks, such as fill level, remaining capacity, temperature, cooling capacity, state of the cooling units, etc., a - Milking parlor control the loading of the cooling tanks with the milked amount of milk can be coordinated and optimized.

In addition to the provision of data for a control system of a milk cooling arrangement, the present invention is based on the objective of proposing methods for cooling milk in a milk cooling arrangement which enables effective cooling. In particular, energy savings are sought. This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for cooling milk in a milk cooling arrangement with at least one cooling tank and at least one cooling device of a milking system with the features of claim 5. Advantageous further developments and refinements of the method are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to the method according to the invention for cooling milk in a milk cooling arrangement, it is proposed that a determination of a quantity of milk milked at at least one milking parlor and a temperature of the quantity of milk milked, which is at least partially conducted into at least one cooling tank, is determined. The amount of milk and the temperature of the amount of milk in the cooling tank into which the milked amount is fed is determined. Based on this data, at least one parameter is determined. It is checked whether the parameter lies within a tolerance range, in particular the parameter is compared with a predefined threshold value. The kitchen device is activated when the at least one parameter lies outside a tolerance range, in particular when the parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold value. This procedure according to the invention ensures that, for example, a cooling device of a milk cooling arrangement is activated at a very early point in time when the at least one parameter lies outside a tolerance range. If this is not the case, the milked amount of milk can get into the cooling tank without the cooling device being activated. Such a situation exists, for example, when the amount of milk or the amount of heat that would have to be extracted from the milk is very small compared to the amount of milk in the cooling tank. If necessary, an agitator can be switched on, which leads to an equalization of the milk temperature in the tank.

The method according to the invention also offers the advantage that cooling capacity is only used when it is actually required. From an energetic point of view, this procedure has numerous advantages, in particular the energy consumption required to operate the milk cooling arrangement can be minimized.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, it is proposed that the heat quantity of the milked milk quantity be determined as at least one parameter. This is the amount of heat that is to be extracted from the milked milk up to the temperature in the cooling tank. The parameter can be used to determine how the milk cooling arrangement is to be controlled so that the excess amount of heat is transferred to the refrigerated goods, i.e. the milked amount of milk, must be withdrawn. In a particularly simple embodiment, the opening time of an expansion valve for a refrigerant can be determined, for example.

In addition to or instead of determining the amount of heat in the milked milk, a theoretical mixture temperature in the cooling tank can be determined as a parameter become. This theoretical mixing temperature can approximate according to the following relationship

_T - _{*> ■} i ι _τ c _τ + m _m c _M ) (T _τ -T ₀ ) + m _M -c _M (T _M -T ₀ ) m _r c _τ + m _MT ^■ c _M + m _M • c _M can be determined, whereby

T _m the mixing temperature, T ₀ the reference temperature, mj the mass of the tank, CT the specific heat capacity of the tank, niMT the mass of milk in the tank, T _T the temperature of the tank and milk, ΓUM the mass of milked, CM the specific Heat capacity of milk and TM the temperature of milked milk

are. If the theoretical mixture temperature is above a threshold value, the cooling device is activated. It can also be seen from the relationship that, with a small mass of the milked amount of milk, the theoretical mixing temperature has only a slight increase, so that it is not absolutely necessary to activate a cooling device if only small amounts of milk are to be expected.

With regard to the expected mixing temperatures, it may be advisable to cool the milk in the tank more in order to obtain a favorable starting value for the subsequent cooling steps. The temperature of the milked amount of milk can be estimated and / or measured. An estimate of the temperature is particularly advantageous if the method according to the invention is used in milking systems which do not contain any temperature sensors for the milk quantities. However, it is preferred to determine the temperature of the amount of milk by measurement. In particular, the temperature of the milked amount of milk is determined at the milking stall, at the milk collecting vessel, after the plate cooler and / or at the entry into the cooling tank. Since the milk travels a certain distance in the piping system from the milking stall to the cooling tank, the milk can cool down if necessary. The extent of the cooling can be estimated so that the temperature of the milked amount at the milking stall is measured while the temperature at the entrance to the cooling tank is estimated. Information for the control system of a milk cooling arrangement can be provided from the temperature to be expected at the entry into the cooling tank. If the milk is cooled, the cooling output would be too high, taking into account the measured temperature at the milking stall.

If necessary, taking into account a safety factor, the cooling capacity can be adapted to the estimated temperature value at the entry into the cooling tank. This is not only the case if the milk cools down during the flow, but also if the milk would heat up on the way from the milking station to the cooling tank. In such a case, the cooling capacity would then have to be higher than the temperature determined at the milking parlor.

The cooling capacity also necessary for cooling the milk depends essentially on the milked amount of milk. It is also necessary to provide sufficient cooling capacity even with a maximum amount of milk. It is therefore suggested that the milked amount is forecast according to animal-specific or group-related or herd-related data. With this measure, the necessary cooling capacity depending on the forecast amount of milk can be provided in advance of the milking processes. The seasonal or lactation-related factors influencing the forecast amount of milk from animal-specific data can also be taken into account. Such a procedure is particularly suitable for milking systems in which animals are fed to the milking system at certain times. The milked amount can not only be predicted from animal-specific data, but can also be determined directly or indirectly. This increases the accuracy. The milk volume can be determined by measuring the milk volume or from data from a milk pump. The amount of milk can be the amount of milk that was milked at the individual milking places, it is also possible to combine several milking places into groups and to determine the milked amount of the group.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment of the method, it is proposed that a first approximate value for the parameter be determined from animal-specific data and the cooling device is activated when the

Approximate value lies outside a tolerance field, in particular exceeds a predetermined threshold value. This measure ensures that the cooling device is activated early enough to adequately store the expected amount of milk in the cooling tank. The approximate value can be tracked, this means that this approximate value is also below

Taking into account the actual conditions is corrected. This is particularly advantageous if the milking time of the animals is very different. For example, an animal can be in a milking parlor are milked while milking has not yet started at another milking station, the milking process at the first milking station and the milking process at the second milking station overlapping in time, so that, under certain circumstances, an increased amount of milk can be expected. In this way, not only can the cooling capacity be increased but also reduced, since, for example, the milking process has already been completed at the first milking station, while the milking process is nearing its end at the second milking station.

In connection with the activation of the cooling device, it is of interest to find out when the cooling capacity is requested. In this context, it is proposed according to a further advantageous embodiment of the method that the point in time or the points in time at which the milked quantity reaches the cooling tank is or are determined. For this determination, the flow velocity of the milk is determined at at least one relevant point in the milking system.

If the milking system has several milking places, it is proposed that at least some milking places, preferably all milking places, at least determine the milk quantities milked at the milking places concerned. This can be an actual milk quantity determination. As an alternative or in addition, theoretical milk quantity determinations can also be carried out, based on the animal-specific data.

The cooling device is preferably activated when at least one parameter lies outside a tolerance range, in particular exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The parameter can be a system parameter, which is composed of a plurality of parameters, wherein individual parameters can be assigned to individual milking stations. The milking station-specific parameters can be determined at the milking station itself. The parameters can also be determined centrally, preferably in a herd management system. Both milking-specific parameters and a system parameter can be determined.

In the case of milking systems which have a large number of milking stations and which are suitable for milking large herds, it is advantageous if several cooling tanks are provided. Individual places or all of them can be connected to a cooling tank. An embodiment of a milking system is preferred, in which the milking stations can optionally be connected to or separated from the cooling tanks. In such a configuration of the milking system, it is proposed that, depending on at least one parameter and / or the amount of milk to be expected and / or actually milked, it is directed into different cooling tanks. The milk quantity can be the milk quantity of individual milking places. There is also the possibility that groups of milking stations can be connected to or separated from the individual cooling tanks.

The present invention is also based on the objective of specifying a control system for a milk cooling arrangement which can be implemented using simple means.

This objective is achieved by the control system according to the invention. Advantageous refinements and designs of the control system are the subject of the dependent claims. The invention. Control system of a milk cooling arrangement with at least one cooling tank and at least one cooling device has a signal evaluation device, to which signals are provided which correspond to milk cooling arrangement-related and milk-specific data from at least some milking stations. An actuator interacts with the signal evaluation device and the milk cooling arrangement and actuates the milk cooling arrangement, in particular a cooling device, as a function of the signals supplied by the signal evaluation device and the actuator. According to an advantageous embodiment of the control system, it is proposed that at least one milking parlor has a milking parlor control that is a component of the control system. This configuration of the control system enables the milking parlor control to coordinate the control specifications of the milk cooling arrangement. The milking parlors have milking parlor controls with comfortable displays and setting options. These can also be used to control the milk cooling arrangement.

The display can be used to display the parameters of the milk cooling arrangement or the status of the milk cooling arrangement. This results in increased comfort for the operator. Furthermore, this measure creates the possibility for the operating personnel to be able to react more quickly to possible irregularities during a milking process, since in most cases these are located at the milking stall. The display and storage of the state of the milk cooler arrangement can also take place at Mellφlatz, so that the operator has current data about the state of the milk cooler arrangement on site. There is also the possibility that the signal evaluation device is formed by a central data processing system. It can be part of a plant management system, in particular the herd management system. The herd management system can transmit data, in particular animal-specific data, to the signal evaluation device.

By coordinating the milking parlor control and milk cooling control, the performance of the milk cooling arrangement can be improved. Shorter cooling times and improved use of resources within the cooling device can thus be achieved. The setting of parameters and the recording of states of the milk cooling arrangement can be carried out comfortably.

Further details and Voήeile are explained with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawing, without the subject matter of the application being limited to this preferred embodiment.

In the course of the technology in dairy farming, information and control systems for livestock farms have been developed. The information and control systems can be very different due to the very different conditions and country-specific properties.

In modern dairy farms you will find a number of cattle control systems that perform very different functions. This applies in particular to information and control systems in dairy farms that automatically use milking systems. With automatic milking systems, the milking cups are automatically attached to the teats of an animal. It is also known that parameters are determined by means of sensors or that processes in the animal husbandry operation are controlled. This can be, for example, the milk yield of an animal or its sorting into an intended one Act area. These parameters are made available in selected form to an operator at the milking parlor. Furthermore, such parameters are sent to a central computer and managed there. In the central computer there is also the possibility of manual data acquisition and maintenance. This central computer also serves as a control and / or regulating unit for components of a milking system. The essential control and control information of the dairy farm can be called up on the central computer. The embodiment shown in the figure shows schematically the interaction of several components of a milking system. The milking system has a milking parlor control 1 which is connected to milking parlor control devices 2. The milking parlor control devices communicate with the milking parlor control 1. The milking parlor control 1 also controls milk pumps 3.

The milking parlor control 1 can be a control that controls a single milking station. Several milking parlor controls 1 can also be provided, which control individual milking parlors, which are not shown. There is also the possibility that a milking parlor control is provided for several milking parlors. In addition to these basic variants, milking systems can also be designed that contain mixed forms of milking parlor controls. The milking parlor control unit 1 transmits milk-specific data to the milking parlor control unit 1, which controls sensors (not shown). These data contain information about the milked amount of milk, the temperature of the milk and preferably the specific heat capacity of the milk. The milk pump controller 3 can provide the milking parlor controller 1 with data relating to the amount of milk milked. The milking parlor control 1 can furthermore contain information about the animal currently at the milking stall. Within the milking parlor control it is possible to provide information continuously but also when threshold values are exceeded. These threshold values can be determined with knowledge of the internal state variables and settings of the control system of a milk cooling arrangement.

The milking parlor control can be a branched system, so that individual milking parlor controls or milking control devices are connected to the control system of a milk cooling arrangement. However, there is also the possibility of central process control, for example within a herd management program. This herd management program delivers the necessary signals and data to the control system of a milk cooling arrangement.

The milking parlor control 1 can obtain the relevant information about the milked amount of milk from the activity of the breast pump. This information is provided by the breast pump control 3. In addition, the estimated time for the arrival of the milked milk in the cooling tank can be derived from the activity of the breast pump and the sensors connected to it.

For several milking parlors with several cooling tanks, the milking parlor control 1 can provide the coordination of the control specifications and the milk flows. For this purpose, it is helpful to transmit the current tank capacity, for example, which can also be calculated from the capacity of the cooling tank and the current filling quantity. With the help of these internal state variables such as level, remaining capacity, temperature, cooling capacity, state of the cooling units, etc., the milking parlor control can coordinate and optimize the loading of the cooling tank with the milk that is currently milked. For this purpose, the milk cooling arrangement 4 is connected to the milking parlor control 1. The milk cooling arrangement 4 comprises a tank controller 5, a cooling tank 6, cooling devices 7 and tank serisors 8. The tank sensors 8 provide information about the current state of the cooling tank 6. The cooling units 7 are connected to the tank controller 8 or to the milking parlor controller 1 in such a way that the information technology Milking parlor control and / or the tank control controls the cooling units 7 according to the requirements. The milking parlor control provides information about the temperature and the milk volume. From these quantities, as well as from the knowledge of the specific heat capacity of the milked amount and the known state variables within the cooling tank, the amount of heat that must be extracted from the milked amount can be calculated, i.e. the cooling capacity that is necessary so that the temperature in the cooling tank within the certain Tolerance field lies. The temperature in the cooling tank is preferably 4 ° C.

If it is known at what time milk enters the cooling tank, the tank control and the cooling units 7 can be activated accordingly, taking into account the known cooling capacity.

Instead of determining the amount of heat that must be dissipated, a theoretical mixing temperature can also be determined. This determination is made with the following relationship:

(m _τ c _τ + m _m c _M ) (T _T -T ₀ ) + m _M -c _M (T _M - T ₀ ) τ _m = τ ₀ + m _τ c _τ + m _MT • c _M + m _M • c _M in which

T _m the mixing temperature, To the reference temperature, mx the mass of the tank, ex the specific heat capacity of the tank, ni _M x the mass of milk in the tank, T the temperature of the tank and milk, mM the mass of milked milk, CM the specific Heat capacity of the milk and TM are the temperature of the milked milk. If the expected mixing temperature T _{m is} within a predetermined tolerance range, there is no need for cooling the amount of milk currently milked. If the mixing temperature T _m leads to it being above a certain threshold value, the milked amount of milk is cooled down to such an extent that the mixing temperature is below the threshold value. If this is known in advance based on estimates, the milk in the tank can also be cooled down.

The milking parlor control can have displays and setting means which belong to the control. By transferring the set parameters, parameters can be transmitted to the tank controller. This is generally more convenient to carry out than the control itself, since the operator is predominantly in the area of the milking parlor control or when operating the herd management. The state variables of the milk cooling system can also be displayed and queried on the milking parlor control. By coordinating the milking parlor control and tank control, shorter cooling times and an improved utilization of the resources within the milk cooling arrangement are used. The setting of parameters and the recording of states of the milk cooling arrangement are also more convenient to implement. In addition, a faster adaptation to the changing conditions within a milking system can also be achieved. The invention also offers the possibility of retrofitting existing milking systems without a significantly high outlay being necessary for this.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

milking parlor control

milking

Milk pump control

Milchkuhlanordnung

tank control

water cooler

cooling unit

tank sensor

Claims

1. Method for providing data for a control system of a milk cooling arrangement (4) with at least one cooling tank (6) of a milking system, in which cooling tank-related data and milk-specific data are determined at at least some milking stations and these are made available to the control system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the milk-specific data contain information about milked milk, temperature, flow rate and / or specific heat capacity of the milk.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cooling tank-related data contain information about the amount of milk in the cooling tank (6), capacity, remaining capacity, temperature, cooling capacity and / or condition of a cooling device.

4. The method of claim 1, 2 or 3, in which animal-specific data, group and herd-specific data, statistical data and / or milking parlor management data are provided to the control system.

5. A method for cooling milk in a milk cooling arrangement (4) with at least one cooling tank (6) and at least one cooling device of a milking system with the following steps: a) determining a milk quantity milked at at least one milking parlor and a temperature of the milked quantity, at least partially is passed into at least one cooling tank (6); b) determining a quantity of milk and a temperature of the quantity of milk in the cooling tank (6) to which the milked quantity is directed; c) determining at least one parameter from the data determined in steps a) and b); d) activation of the cooling device if at least one parameter lies outside a tolerance field, in particular exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

6. The method according to claim 5, in which the heat quantity of the milked amount of milk and / or a theoretical mixture temperature in the cooling tank (6) is determined as a parameter.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the temperature of the milked amount of milk is estimated and / or measured.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the temperature of the milked amount of milk at the milking stall and / or at the entrance to the cooling tank (6) is determined.

9. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 8, in which the milked amount of milk is forecast from animal-specific data.

10. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 9, in which the milked amount of milk is determined directly or indirectly, in particular by measuring the amount of milk or from data from a milk pump.

11. The method according to claim 8, 9 or 10 in which a first approximate value for the parameter is determined from animal-specific data and the Cooling device is activated when the approximate value lies outside a tolerance field, in particular exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

12. The method according to at least one of the preceding claims 5 to 11, in which the point in time is determined at which the milked amount reaches the cooling tank (6).

13. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 11, wherein the milking system has a plurality of milking places, at least a determination of the milk quantities milked at the relevant milking places being carried out at at least some milking places, preferably at all milking places.

14. The method according to claim 13, in which the parameters are determined at the at least some milking stations.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the parameter determination is carried out centrally, preferably in a herd management system.

16. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims 5 to 15, in which, depending on at least one parameter and / or the amount of milk to be expected and / or actually milked, this is passed into different cooling tanks (6).

17. Control system of a milk cooling arrangement with at least one cooling tank (6), which has a signal evaluation device which is provided with signals which correspond to cooling tank and milk-specific data from at least one milking stall, and has an actuator which has the signal evaluation device and a cooling device interacts that, depending on the signals supplied by the signal evaluation device to the actuator, this actuates the cooling device.

18. Control system according to claim 17, characterized in that at least one milking parlor has a milking parlor control which is a component of the control system.

19. Control system according to claim 17, characterized in that the signal evaluation device is formed by a central data processing system.

20. Control system according to claim 17, 18 or 19, characterized in that a herd management system transmits data, in particular animal-specific data, to the signal evaluation device.